


One Fine Day

by Dandybear



Category: BioShock Infinite
Genre: DeWitt family feels, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-29
Updated: 2013-04-29
Packaged: 2017-12-09 22:47:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/778846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dandybear/pseuds/Dandybear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Booker takes his daughters to Coney Island.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Fine Day

**Author's Note:**

> In this universe Elizabeth lives because if she doesn't there's a paradox. So, she spends her time hanging out with her family and the Luteces.
> 
> I wanted to show the differences and similarities between an Anna raised alone and one raised by Booker. But they both hate bees.
> 
> The restaurant Nathan's was the first thing that came up when I searched 'Coney Island 1916' because that's the year it was established. It's also famous for hot dogs. Score.
> 
> EDIT: Except this is supposed to take place in 1897. D'oh!
> 
> I have no idea if the teacup ride existed in 1897 though. I'm playing the 'Bioshock is anachronism land' card for that one.

Anna runs like a herd of elephants. Her tiny feet make thunder on the creaking wooden floors as she charges through the tiny apartment.

 

TUM TUM TUM.

Her hands are fisted at her sides and her hair is in tangles despite being combed not an hour before. She has the purple brown of scuffs and dirt on her knees from playing. She pushes the office door open and tiptoes in.

Booker is bent over his desk with one hand propping up his chin and the other scratching at paper. Anna pretends the notes on the floor are islands and the floor is lava. She tries to leap from one another, but it sticks to her foot and she slips landing on a shin.

Her father turns at the noise and sees his four year-old with wide eyes wet with unshed tears.

"Anna." He sighs.

His chair scrapes the floor as he moves to crouch by her. Tears are flowing freely now down her cheeks. She doesn't wanna cry. She wants to be strong like her daddy. Little sobs and sniffles escape her and soon she's wailing.

"Come on, let it all out." He says.

She climbs into his lap and buries her face into his shirt. His breathing is steady and makes her feel calmer. More footsteps follow her path through the hall way.

A dark curtain of hair dangles from the head that pokes in the door.

"Hey, Booker, there's a bee in the living room. Could you get-- Aw, Anna, what happened?"

Her father plops her onto his desk to inspect her sore knee. She wipes at her eyes and looks away shyly from the matching blues.

Elizabeth grabs at a Anna's foot and lowers to look her in the face.

"Hey, it's no reason to be embarrassed. The world isn't built for small people."

Elizabeth blows cool air onto the red knee and then presses a soft kiss to it.

"Now, I know Daddy has healing kisses better than mine."

Booker's brow furrows but he presses a equally gentle, albeit chapped kiss to her knee.

"Feeling better, Sweetheart?" He asks.

Anna nods and allows herself to be carried to the kitchen. She hears the buzzing of the bee in the living room and all her hair stands on end. Elizabeth makes concerned squawks as Booker uses a jar to capture the bug, then opens a window.

"Bees make flowers grow, Elizabeth. I thought you'd be a fan."

"One stung me when I was little. I didn't have any way to take care of it and it really hurt." She says with folded arms.

"I guess the Songbird wasn't good for putting ice on stings." He says.

Elizabeth stiffens and folds her arms. There's a kind of fuzzy lull in the conversation that makes Anna's ears ache.

"Daddy, I want a Coney."

When she says 'Daddy' Elizabeth's face gets all tight and she looks like she's going to break the world again. Or cry. Instead she straightens her shoulders and begins rifling through the cupboards.

Her father scrubs a hand over the bristles of his chin. He's usually a master of foraging. Today he just looks tired and helpless.

"Nothing but a can of beans. Booker, I thought you said you'd go shopping."

His hackles raise.

"I'm sorry. Between raising a four year-old and working, I haven't really had the time to hit the shops. I don't see why you don't just rip a hole in time and space to just... I don't know, grab something!"

"Because Lutece said that I shouldn't dick around with the tears."

"Lutece is the king and queen of fu-messing around with tears!"

Anna's eyes begin to well up again. They're fighting and it's her fault. If only she hadn't said she was hungry. Then they could have stayed happy like they were a minute ago.

She pads off to the bedroom she shares with her daddy. On the floor is a stuffed owl that she picks up and carries with her to her easel. Anna picks up the pink chalk and begins to draw men with circles for heads and triangles for hands.

"Hey."

It's Elizabeth with her clear eyes and pretty hair. She drops to kneel beside Anna and frowns a little at the drawing.

"What's that?"

"The man under the sea. He collects angels."

Elizabeth nods and begins to play with Anna's hair.

"You know it isn't your fault when Dad and I fight, right?"

Anna nods, but looks away.

"We... don't always see eye to eye, but we both love you and just want to take care of you. Which in my case is oddly self-serving."

"Because you're me."

"Yeah. I'm you."

She catelogues the differences though. Anna has ten fingers, Elizabeth has nine. Elizabeth can tears in between space and time, Anna can make tears in her dresses and stockings.

"Why are you mad at Daddy?"

Elizabeth pauses and chews her lip.

"Because I'm sad that he didn't protect me. And then I'm mad because he did protect me when it mattered and that I have no right to be sad about it."

_Doesn't, didn't, will not._

"Daddy feels mad and sad too."

"Exactly. And we should be happy since we're all here together now."

"Big Daddy, Big Sister, and Little Sister?" Anna asks.

A shudder runs through Elizabeth and she smiles weakly.

"Yeah. So come on and get cleaned up. We're going out for dinner. My treat."

Anna is excited about going out, but it means getting cleaned up and that's the actual worst. Elizabeth helps her into a nice dress with some effort. Then she has to pull on stockings and bloomers that are hard to run in. Anna pouts. Booker is chastised into changing his shirt by Elizabeth. He grumbles and looks just as unhappy as his younger daughter.

"We're just going to the board walk." He says.

Elizabeth imitates his frown and he quiets.

Booker and Anna tug on their stifling clothes as Elizabeth locks the door. She hums and practically skips down the hall. Anna looks up at her father, who shrugs. She's always been like that.

Anna's excited because they're taking the subway. It's loud and scary like all adventures. Plus, with Daddy there, it isn't really scary. He could fight off a bear. Maybe two.  
At the train station she sees a man and a woman in matching clothes reading different books. They pretend not to be watching them and disappear as soon as her daddy notices. Booker frowns.

The train goes fast but Anna only feels it when they stop and it feels like she's going to topple over. Elizabeth holds her hand. 

Two more stops.

One more stop.

Booker carries her off the train because she's scared of the doors. Elizabeth's heels click as she runs off ahead of them. Anna turns to look at Booker.

"She'll be back." He says.

Sure enough, Elizabeth comes trodding back with a map of Coney Island and a balloon. She and Booker share a wry grin at the balloon.

"So you couldn't make a city fly with enough of these?" He asks.

"Quiet."

Anna clings to the balloon like it flying away is the worst thing. Worse than getting dressed up.

A little boy looks at her with envy. She sticks her tongue out at him. He hides behind his mother's skirts, pride wounded.

"Heartbreaker this one." Elizabeth nudges her.

Anna squirms in her father's arms and he lets her down. She runs off as fast as her little legs can take her.

"Takes after you." Booker says.

"Anna! Food's this way."

The little terror runs back in their direction before veering off to follow Elizabeth's pointer finger.

Booker realizes he is a shepherd. He needs a crook or something to herd his lambs. Except without calling them lambs because it makes his skin crawl.

"Girls. The restaurant is here."

Both walk back sheepishly. Calling it a restaurant is a bit of a stretch. Still, from what press he's heard, Nathan's sells pretty good Franks and Burgers.

Anna ties her balloon to the picnic table they sit at while Booker orders food. Elizabeth fixes a flyaway hair. Anna crawls into her older self's lap to see better.  
Arms settle around her and she feels a deep sense of peace. Elizabeth is different than her. She's already grown up. Where Anna has flesh and blood, there's just a stump. Elizabeth uses big words and talks about concepts that make Anna's head hurt. However, no one understands her needs like Elizabeth. They both begin to hum 'The Ants Go Marching' because it drives Daddy crazy.

Booker returns heavy-handed with food. Seeing them cuddled together makes the corners of his eyes crinkle. He sets down a pair of Franks in front of them and a basket of fried potatoes in the centre.

Watching Anna eat is always a spectacle. Her eyes are bigger than her mouth and she attempts several jaw acrobatics in the attempt to devour more hot dog than she can possibly swallow at a time.

"Hey, easy up. You'll choke." Booker says,

It sounds like a joke, but it's laced with real concern.

"Small bites. Or I'll have to get a knife and fork to cut it up. Then you'll have to eat it dainty-like and that's no fun." Elizabeth threatens.

Anna takes decidedly smaller bites with a furrowed brow.

Booker manages to shrug his own corcerns and stuff two sausages into his mouth without caring about his airway.

"You are the grossest eater, Booker."

"Fhanks."

After eating, Anna demands to go on the teacup ride. Elizabeth hops from one foot to the other because she's so excited. Booker leans against the metal railing as they wait in line. They're selected in the next bunch of people to ride as soon as the cups stop twirling.

There's a blue one that his daughters make a B-line for and Booker follows them with the kind of smile that says he doesn't get to do this often.

He feels someone brush past him and turns to see a familiar pair shuffling into the red cup. He rolls his eyes and gives a little wave.

"If you two wanted to come along, all you needed to do was ask."

"I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about."

"Clearly the man's delusional."

"Talking to himself."

"First sign of losing one's mind."

"Quite."

"Daddy!"

Booker jogs over to the blue cup to be locked in. Elizabeth gives the 'twins' a wave from her seat.

"You three have plans later?" He asks like he doesn't care.

"We did."

"Do?"

"And will have."

Booker doesn't ask where his daughter goes or what she does with her infinite access to time and space. It's dull and depressing all at once. She's seen him die a thousand times. She's even killed him a few of them. Once she told him about all the different ends to the world she's sat through. Her favourite is one where giant evil gods destroy the world.

Fascinating stuff.

The bell goes and the cups start moving. Elizabeth takes the initiative to start the cup spinning as fast as she can. Anna shrieks with laughter and tries to help with her own tiny hands.

"Come on, Booker!"

Booker puts effort into making the cup rotate fast enough for fun but -he hopes- too slow to make his younger daughter throw up.

The ride is only three minutes long and then he's carrying an exhausted Anna back to the subway station. Elizabeth leaves with the Luteces. The time without her is a silence that isn't altogether comfortable. He wishes he was better at telling her how happy she makes him.

She has other things to do than sit around comforting her old man. Once upon a time she was this small. He lost that time with Elizabeth. Would she have been just like Anna? Maybe she'd be just as smart as she is and drag him to the Museum on sundays.

A few women coo at how adorable Anna is and bat their eyelashes at him. Booker gives a polite nod, but doesn't return the flirtation.

The air feels thick on the walk home. Thunder's building. At least Anna isn't scared of storms. She thinks they're neat. She mumbles and paws at his shirt in her sleep. He has to juggle the toddler in his arms in order to unlock the apartment.

The lights are off and he steps out of his boots with a sigh. His feet are sore and his thirty pound daughter feels like two hundred after a long day. Anna wakes up at the silence.

"Daddy where's my balloon?"

"Sorry sweetheart, they wouldn't let you take it on the ride, remember?"

"Oh yeah." She yawns like a cat. All sharp teeth.

He helps Anna change out of her dress and into a dressing gown. Then he sheds his own day clothes and drags on his pyjamas.

Anna's crib is too big for her and frankly, he doesn't want the separation of beds just yet. She's a pillow hog and a snorer, but Booker sees them as constant reminders of the footprints of his daughter through his life.

"G'night Daddy."

She kicks him in the ribs with cold toes as she gets comfortable.

"Goodnight Anna."

He sees the stars through his window and wonders if they are really doors or if Elizabeth's full of shit.


End file.
